Blog

Before this June, I thought a mule was just a hard-working pack animal...

but after attending a graduation party this spring, I learned of another kind of mule…a much less hard-working kind of mule. Turns out this mule is a delicious, refreshing, cocktail…The Moscow Mule!

Original Moscow Mule Recipe

Legend has it that the Moscow Mule originated back in 1941 when a John G. Martin of Heublein, Inc (who had just started distributing Smirnoff Vodka in the USA) and Jack Morgan, owner of the Cock 'n' Bull Tavern in LA who made his own ginger beer were trying to find a way to sell more of their product. They came up with the cocktail and served them in swanky monogramed chilled copper mugs.

The original Moscow Mule recipe is as follows:

2-ounces vodka

1/2-ounce lime juice

5-ounces ginger beer

drop of bitters (optional)

sprig or mint and wedge of lime for garnish

Stir together over ice in 12-ounce glass or copper mug.

Note: I found my copper mugs at TJ Maxx. I've also seen them at Home Goods recently.

Double Ginger Moscow Mule:

Now this is what really amps up the ginger flavor... At that graduation party, our neighbor Greg, had a bottle of vodka that he had infused with pieces of fresh ginger. Ginger genius!! I knew I had to try this for myself, I love any little step that adds more flavor. First, I cut a 4-inch knob of ginger into thin strips. Then, with the blunt end of the knife I pounded on each strip of ginger a little bit, just to make sure it would release lots of ginger flavor. I poured a little vodka out of the 750 ml bottle of Tito's I was using to make room for the ginger. I pushed the ginger into the bottle and poured back in as much vodka as I could and placed it on the counter. I wasn't sure how long it was going to take to really infuse some great ginger flavor. Greg told me that sometimes he lets it sit a few hours, sometimes a week. I observed and sniffed it everyday. For the first four days, the vodka was somewhat cloudy. After day four, it had become clear and smelled pretty fragrant. I think it would have been good to go at this point, but I mustered all my will power and decided to wait a whole week, until the July 4th weekend we were spending at the beach!

For the Double Ginger Moscow Mule, use the ginger infused vodka in the original Moscow Mule recipe above. If you want to try a delicious peach version, check our my Summer Peach Mule recipe below.

Ginger Infused Vodka

Summer Peach Mule: Make the Peach Puree

Add to blender: 2 ripe peeled & sliced peaches.

Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime.

Puree.

Summer Peach Mule Recipe:

Christina Verrelli

Ginger Beer is nonalcoholic and is available at larger grocery stores and beer distributors.

Makes about 4 cocktails

Ingredients:

ginger infused vodka (see directions above)

2 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

3 limes

4 cans ginger beer

ice

additional peach and lime slices for garnish, if desired

Directions:

In blender, add peach slices, juice of 1 lime and puree. (Can be made ahead and refrigerated.)

epicuricloud

Welcome to epicuricloud! I hope you'll spend some time in the cloud with me! I'll be posting creative recipes, stories of my cooking contest adventures and writing about the backstory of recipes: the Recipe Roots™.